Taiwanese presidential candidate Ko Wenzhe, who will join forces with the Kuomintang, said he hates the party but hates the Democratic Progressive Party even more.

(Bloomberg) — A Taiwanese presidential candidate said he still hates the Kuomintang he will run with, signaling that the partnership that could reshape Taiwan’s election next year may have a rocky road ahead.

“I’m really in a bad mood today,” Ko Wenzhe, chairman of the Taiwan People’s Party, said at a rally on Wednesday. “Of course I hate the KMT, but I hate the DPP even more.”

Ko Wenzhe later said in a television interview that fear of a cross-strait conflict prompted him to reach an agreement with the Kuomintang, adding that “a war in Taiwan is not impossible.” He said his staff were surprised by the agreement.

The blunt remarks came just hours after he agreed to work with the Kuomintang to defeat the ruling party, which currently leads the polls.

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Taiwan is at the forefront of tensions between China and the United States, and electing a government more friendly to China could eliminate potential flashpoints between the world’s two largest economies.

U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping raised the issue of Taiwan at a bilateral summit in the United States on Wednesday, with U.S. officials saying they believed Xi Jinping had indicated he was not preparing for a large-scale invasion of Taiwan. Officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said Biden asked China to respect Taiwan’s upcoming elections.

Recommended reading: Xi Jinping will meet to reach an agreement on resuming military dialogue, etc. Xi Jinping denies reports that he is preparing to invade Taiwan

Lai Ching-te, vice president of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, has led the polls for most of the past year, but if the opposition parties consolidate a presidential candidate, Taiwan’s next government may be more willing to accept China’s terms for direct cross-strait dialogue. Sex will rise.

Ko Wenzhe, KMT candidate Hou Youyi, KMT Chairman Zhu Lilun and former President Ma Ying-jeou have previously reached a consensus that polling statistics experts will review and evaluate the poll results announced by all sectors of society from November 7 to November 17, and each of the KMT and the People’s Party will provide one The results of internal polls are used to determine which candidate has the best chance of winning.

Results will be announced on Saturday. The two parties also agreed to form a coalition government if they won the election.

原文標題Taiwan Candidate Says He Still Hates the Party He’ll Run With

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